Lecture 1 - 310.doc

Physiology – the branch of biology that studies how living things function, especially
with respect to the physical and chemical phenomena that are used.
- How things work? How blood vessels control blood flow.
- Chemical and physical phenomena are limited and bounded by physics and
chemistry.
Where does Physiology fit into Biological Sciences?
- All things are connected one way or other. There is a hierarchy of order that
determine the physiology which determines the behaviour (or vice versa).
Types of Physiology I
Animal Physiology:
- How do animals live in diverse environments?
- Physiological diversity:
- Comparative Physiology: how different organisms solve similar problems.
Medical Physiology:
- Understanding the human body in health and disease: humancentric
physiological approach. How the human body works.
- Often uses animal ‘models’: animal models are used to figure out how
physiological processes work.
Types of Physiology II
• Based on level of study:
- Cell and Molecular Physiology – MOSTLY IN THIS COURSE
- Systems Physiology
- Integrative Physiology
- Organismal Physiology
Themes in Physiology
1. Physics and Chemistry are the basics of Physiology
Physiological processes obey the laws of physics and chemistry
2. Physiological Systems are regulated: